With people living longer in this day and age, many adults find themselves not only caring for their children, but for their elderly parents as well. Most people are reluctant to place loved ones in nursing homes unless they can no longer care for them. However, with support from home healthcare agencies providing palliative and hospice care, they can keep their loved ones with them at home.
Paying for Home Care
One of the main advantages of elderly home care is that the cost is far less expensive than being in a nursing home or being cared for in a hospital. If a patient is terminally ill and treatments are no longer helping them, then being at home during their last days is not only more cost efficient, but it is also more comforting for both the patient and their family. If the patient doesn’t have private insurance coverage, then Medicaid and Medicare can help cover the costs of hospice care at home.
Requirements to Receive Care
Home hospice care will be covered by Medicare if certain requirements are met. These requirements include the following:
* The patient must be eligible for Part A Medicare.
* Their doctor and a hospice director must certify the patient has a terminal illness and is expected to live less than six months.
* The patient must sign a statement choosing home hospice care over other alternatives to treat their terminal illness.
* The hospice provider must be Medicare-approved.
Medicare pays 100% of the expenses deemed appropriate by the hospice agency, including the following:
* Medications
* Durable medical equipment
* 24-hour care
* Skilled nursing services
* Chaplain visits
* Social services
* Nutrition and dietary services
* Grief counselling for families after the patient’s death
If you would like to know more about receiving elderly home care services for terminally ill loved ones, contact Sacred Journey Hospice. They can help you get services approved by Medicare to ease your financial burden. You can also like them on Facebook for more information.
